"Even to walk down the road is extremely difficult. You're climbing over cars and buses that have been tossed by the wind and swept in by the storm surge.

"There are still bodies littering the sides of the roads that have not been collected. People are sheltering under whatever they can find. There's a real sense of frustration among people because they don't have enough food, they don't have enough water."

Mr Abbott says a civilian medical team will head to the Philippines in the next day or two, while Australia has a team on the ground looking at what is needed.

"And I certainly don't rule out further assistance because the Philippines is a friendly neighbour whose people are suffering horribly as a result of this disaster and in the best traditions of Australia's mateship we will stand by the people of the Philippines in their hour of need," he said.